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Saturday, June 16, 2012

A good day turns tragic

It's a busy day in Toronto. Tons of huge events going on in the city, from the baseball game, 2 huge concerts along with NXNE, the World Naked Bike Ride, even a historic battle reenactment at Fort York from the War of 1812. I will go to the ball game and Radiohead since I only go to war reenactments where my side wins (we won the war, but lost this particular battle) and don't ride bikes naked (for comfort and not modesty purposes).

I woke up early for a Saturday. I put the new Radiohead album (The King Of Limbs) on the turntable and got pumped up for the show that night.

I met Regimbal at the Steam Whistle Brewery for a pre game pilsner. I'm so happy to see my good friend.

Me & Regimbal at Steamwhistle

We realize that we probably havent seen each other since last summer on Canada Day (which ended in a epic shit-show). I asked Regim to join me for Radiohead that night. I bought the extra ticket thinking I would easily find a friend to go with, but it being such a busy weekend everyone seemed to have plans.

The Jays were awesome. Rallying to tie the game and then win it in extra innings with a walk-off homer. It was a sunny day, which forced me to retreat into the shady caverns of Skydome for brief moments between Jays at-bats. I still got too much sun. Not burnt but a little red.

We went back to my place to prepare for the big show at Downsview Park. Regimbal gave up his ticket to see the band almost ten years ago and always regretted it. I realize I have lost count of how many times I have seen Radiohead live in concert, either 4 or 5 times, making this 5 or 6.

My aunt is a cop and was working at the show, she passes on the news that the show has been canceled due to a terrible accident. The stage has collapsed and 1 person is dead (We now know it was Radiohead's Drum Tech Scott Johnson).

Terrible news. My thoughts are with the man's family and the band.

I'm not upset about the show being cancelled, I will see them next time. No one should die because of a rock concert.

We have dinner at Epicure on the rooftop patio. It's good, as always.

The Flaming Lips balloons
over Yonge & Dundas

Regimbal and I decide to check out the free Flaming Lips show at Yonge & Dundas Square. We get there before the crowd turned away at the Radiohead gates got a chance to get back downtown.

The band takes a while to get going, starting 35 minuts late, but once they did it was wild. Tons of streamers and confetti and of course the lead singer in a hamster ball hurled into the audience. I rocked out to the Absolute 90's classic cut Vaseline and then headed towards the exit, I had to close the night at my friend Ian's going away party.

As I walked away from the by now massive crowd I heard them play a cover of Radiohead's Knives Out.

Wayne Coyne in a Hamster ball

Ian's party was great. A buch of his work friends wishing him well on his adventure to Hollywood while not-so-secretly wishing it was them.